A month back, Sarah had a message to say that serious wildfires had broken out near her school. These had caused havoc leading to a number of people losing their homes to the fire and others being treated in hospital.
Then a few weeks later our neighborhood was battered by a terrific thunderstorm with torrential rain leading to flash floods. We even had a mini flood in our conservatory as the storm exposed some of the weak points in the roof and sealant. That’s what storms do, expose the weak points and that’s what the storms and trials of life life do, they expose where the weak points and stress points are, where we need the Holy Spirit to work.
I had already drafted this article when the news broke of the horrific tragedy at the Big Church Festival. Sadly some of the responses were to mock the tragedy. “This is what you get when you trust a big sky fairy.”. Your God was powerless to protect his worshippers.”. “Well you ask for signs.” Of course a read of the signs will remind us that there is nothing new to such mockery.
Whilst the fires and floods are not on the scale of disasters faced in other countries, they have caused some suffering to local families. They have also reminded me of Isaiah 43.:2 and the promise that because the Holy One has redeemed and is with his people, they will not be harmed when they pass through fire and flood.
The promise through Isaiah was for those who would go into exile that there would be a second Exodus, a return to the land. The imagery of fire and flood echoing the crossing of the Red Sea and the dangers of the desert.
We are not meant to treat them, prosperity style as guarantees of freedom from physical dangers. However, there is a reassurance that God is with us and that Christ has promised that no one will pluck us from his hand, whatever life might throw at us.
